Till Death Do Us Part
by Megabyte22
Summary: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is dying. According to Berk's resident healer, they should just let nature take its course. But when Astrid discovers that Outcast Island has rare crystals that can heal anything, she makes it her mission to obtain them. Will The Outcasts save the day? Will Astrid be too late? Will Berk lose another chief? Read and find out! (HTTY2 spoilers)
1. Chapter 1

**(This story contains HTTYD2 spoilers so be careful!) Hi people! So I know I promised a series of one shots, but as I was writing them I realized that they really, really sucked. The ideas sounded good in my head but were awful on paper. So I decided to bail on that idea and just write another story. It took a while for me to come up with the idea for this but I did! I hope you enjoy this story and keep on reading! You guys are the best! :D (Also, authors note. I know that things with the Outcasts are different in the tv show, but I'm not really basing this story off the show so let's just disregard that shall we?)  
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Chapter 1:

Chief of Berk, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, sat amidst the sea of injured Vikings in The Great Hall. Some of these Vikings lied on makeshift cots, some sat on the ground, and some healthy Vikings tended to the extremely injured. Hiccup sat on the ground and wrapped his palm in a strip of gauze, careful not to irritate the deep gash that was on it. Gingerly, he wrapped layer upon layer until he was sure cut was safe and that the bleeding would stop. He was left with a right hand covered in fabric and stinging with pain. However, his small hand injury was nothing compared to some of the other Viking's in his village. Hiccup took a look around at them and cringed. Men, buff men, were laying and weak, completely at the mercy of pain. Men, who just a moment before, were charging into a battle with the intent to win. Men, men who knew well, looked unrecognizable with the plethora of injuries gracing their bodies.

Hiccup got up from his seat and walked around them, taking it all in. These were his people, the people his father had left for him. Seeing them hurt was like seeing his own child hurt. He felt it was his duty to protect these people, and here they were wallowing in pain. In the course of his walk, one patient in particular caught his eye. It was Dagmar Larson, the youngest child in the Larson family. She was only eight years old but very, very small for her age. She was lying in a cot all alone and looked a sickly pale color. She had obviously been crying and who knows if anyone had even bothered to check up on her. Hiccup made a B-line for this young lady, ready to offer his help. He was chief after all and he needed to protect his own.

"Hey there, sweetie. You alright?" He asked, sitting on the side of the cot. She looked at him and her eyes lit up. Hiccup must have been the first person to inquire about her health since she got there.

"I'm okay." She coughed.

"What are you doing here? Don't tell me you were battling?"

"I...Was. I'm sorry. My brother was doing it and so were my friends. And...They don't accept me because I'm small. I just wanted to show them I could do it." Her raspy voice and held back tears broke Hiccup's heart.

"Aww, honey," He began to stroke her head with his left hand. "I know what that feels like all too well. I was like you. I was small for my age too. Small and weak. Everyone made fun of me and laughed at me. All the time, I got myself into trouble trying to be like them. But do you know what happened? I stopped trying to be like them and did my own thing. Look where I am now. I'm chief! If I'd continued to try to be like everyone else, we wouldn't be riding dragons at all. We'd still be killing them. You weren't old enough to remember it but we did. If it weren't for me, none of Berk would be like it is now, and my lovely wife, Astrid, would sill be laughing at me instead of married to me. You see, Dagmar, when you try to follow along with everyone else, it only makes things worse and you end up getting hurt. You're way too young to be in this situation. Do you parents know you're here?"

"No." She inaudibility whispered as she let a tear drop from her eye. More and more started to follow.

"Shhh, don't cry! It'll be okay. I'll go find them and tell them you're here. Be strong. And remember, don't go running off into battle to impress you're friends. Want to impress them? Tell him Chief Hiccup officially dubbed you Berk's coolest person ever. You will henceforth be known as Dagmar The Coolest." Hiccup pecked her head and gave her a slight hug. He slowly walked away, looking at his injured hand and sighing. He got away with only a scrape, but most of his people were seriously injured, even a young, innocent child.

As Hiccup was walking, he ran into his Mother, Valka. She had her arms crossed and was smiling at him.

"What's up with the grin?" He asked her.

"Nothing much really. Just what you said to Dagmar. You'll make a great father someday." She replied, laughing.

"Whoa, no! Not you too. Look, dad already pressured me enough with the baby talk when he was alive. You may have filled his space but not his shoes. I don't want to hear it from you too."

"No, believe me I understand. My father used to tell me the same thing," She proceeded to mimic her father the way Hiccup used to. "Valka, you got to think about settling down and popping out a few kids soon! I don't want my bloodline to end with you!" She and Hiccup both chucked at her little display. It was crazy how much Hiccup took after Valka. They were partially the same person. He took little after his father, but Hiccup was a great chief. He got that from being around Stoick for twenty years.

"I just have so much to deal with. Adding the child pressure on top of it doesn't help. My first priority is figuring out what in Thor's name is happening with The Outcasts. I mean, they attacked us for no reason! At least no reason I can think of. This is considered an act of war! I can declare it if I want to, but I won't. Not after I saw what they could do. We're not prepared for a war. Neither are The Outcasts. Oden knows why they attacked. I've known Alvin for years and this isn't in his bag of tricks. Unless the fight is a front and we'll have another Whispering Death incident. But Alvin never repeats a tactic twice. Regardless of why they attacked, I need to make sure it doesn't happen again. I led my men into battle blind and look at the outcome. I'm just glad no one died. Yet."

"Hiccup, you can't seriously be blaming yourself for this? It wasn't your fault, it was a surprise attack."

"I know, I know. But... seeing my people like this. I feel guilty for only getting a scratch while some of them suffer and whiter away. Dagmar Larson over there, eight yeas old, is injured. She's a child, she's not supposed to be here! All Alvin did was cut my hand with his sword, but he and his army did far worse to everyone else. I can't help but feel it was my fault."

"What else were you going to do, sit there and let them attack? We drove them away. We won. It's over. We're okay."

"I guess. We'll have to start assigning people places to guard on Berk. The healthy ones who didn't get hurt. I'll assign people a time and a place and we'll be sure nothing like this happens again. I'll ask Gobber to increase weapon production too. As much as I hate weapons it needs to be done." Valka silently agreed by nodding her head. She was Stoick's wife and Hiccup's mother, but she always left all the chiefing to them. It just wasn't her place.

Hiccup and his mother parted ways shortly after they met up. She went on to take care of other injured people. It was her natural motherly instinct to do so. For twenty years, she lived amongst dragons all by herself. She's been a member of the village for two years now and she's making up for lost times. The people accepted her back like she never left and really enjoyed her presence. The villagers also enjoyed the presence of new two-year veteran Eret. He originally came from an island of dragon trappers, but his mind was changed and, having nowhere else to go, joined the Berk community. He was given the task of taking care of Stoick's dragon, Skullcrusher. The two bonded quickly, like they were made for each other.

Eret made his way through the crowd of Viking's to talk to Hiccup. Being new, he didn't really understand who The Outcasts were or why they attacked. He did fight in the battle, however, breaking his right wrist.

"Haddock!" He shouted, running up to the boy just as he finished helping wrap up somebody's wound.

"Eret Son of Eret, how can I help you?" He replied.

"What was that all about, huh? Those guys. Why the Hell did they attack us and why aren't we declaring war!"

"Those guys are The Outcasts. They've been our bitter enemies for years. They're people we outcasted from Berk and sent to their own island. They've held a grudge ever since. Their Chief, Alvin the Treacherous, is especially stubborn. He's always threating war with us, even though he knows he's unprepared. He wants to steal The Book Of Dragons to learn how to train them, raise an army, and conquer the world. Unfortunately, we cannot declare war. If you haven't noticed, we're the definition of unprepared. Look at all these injured men and women, and look at all these broken swords. Going into war now would be a suicide mission. Yes, we have dragons, but we can't win a battle with them alone. The Outcasts have ways of destroying dragons. We need weapons and shields and good, strong men. We just don't have those now. All our weapons and shields are broken and our men our all lying on the floor wounded. As much as I want to declare war, I can't. And the cost of it, mental and physical, would just be too much." Hiccup held up his injured hand and gestured to Eret's wrist. He nodded in understanding. Eret was very outspoken about his opinion, but he did know when to and not to hold his tongue. This was a moment when he should. He understood that Hiccup, being a young chief, was under a lot of stress. He didn't want to push his luck and end up a member of The Outcast Tribe.

Eret, not having much else to say, bid Hiccup adieu and went on his way. Hiccup went back to tending the wounded. He went around to almost everyone and made sure they were okay. The battle took place in the early hours of the morning and ended fairly quickly. All the injured were taken and placed in a makeshift hospital in The Great Hall by sunrise. It was still early in the day, but Hiccup felt like he's been in there forever. Tending became tedious and Hiccup became dizzy. So many sick and injured people surrounded him and he couldn't bear it. He felt like passing out at any second. Luckily, a voice behind him snapped him back into reality. It was the voice of his lovely wife, Astrid. They were married for a year, today marking their first anniversary, but that was the last thing on their minds.

"Hiccup, there you are! I was worried sick! What happened to your hand?" She asked, worried.

"I got into a sword battle with Alvin. He kind of slashed my hand. But it's just a cut, I'm okay. Nothing compared to what some of the other people got. Eret broke his wrist, the twins have pretty bad concussions, although I think that was from victory head banging too much, Snotlout's cut up pretty bad, Fishleg's is fine but Meatlug is a little shaken up, and eight year old Dagmar Larson is over there with Oden knows what- Gods! I still have to tell her parents she's here!"

"Hiccup, calm down. I don't like it when you get like this. You've been in here too long, c'mon let's go. After all, today is supposed to be a special day!"

"I know, sweetheart, I know. But... I have to care for these people. I'm chief, and a chief protects his own. As much as I'd like to go get some air with you, I just can't."

"Hiccup, please. I love you and care about you! I can see when you need to take a break and you do. You look sick, please. Come get some air with me."

"I feel awful. I think I might have caught your stomach bug. Thank you."

"We're married. I get sick, you get sick. C'mon." She proceeded to grab his arm and pull him outside The Great Hall. Even if he didn't like, she was going to do it to help him. She loved and cared about him too much not too.

Once outside, Hiccup was met with his best friend in the world, Toothless the Night Fury. When Hiccup went into The Great Hall what seemed like hours ago, he told Toothless to wait for him outside. He thought we would just wrap his wound and be done, but he got caught up with caring for everyone else. Toothless, being as obedient as he was, waited. When his master showed up, he proceeded to lick him profusely.

"Hey, bud! Sorry I was a bit longer when I expected. I'm happy to see you too!" Hiccup pushed Toothless away in the most affectionate way possible. He cracked a smile and turned to Astrid, half covered with dragon saliva.

"It's okay, it's an acquired taste." She said, smirking and kissing Hiccup, playfully wiping the saliva off of her after. Toothless laughed at the two like he always did. They were like one big, happy family. Husband, wife, dragon, and mother. It was perfect.

"So, Mr. Haddock. Let's get your mind off chiefing a little bit, okay." She said, grabbing his waist and pulling him in.

"That's going to be hard to do."

"I'm up for a challenge." She smirked again and kissed him. Whatever she was doing, it was working. Hiccup's mind wondered from caring for his people to loving his wife. He kissed her back and smiled too, being happy in her presence. He was truly in love with this woman. Something about her just made him light up and feel happy. He'd always had a little crush on her, but as they got older, he began to love her more. Astrid didn't really have a crush on him, but one day it just all clicked for her. She loved him and she knew it. Not even death could tear their relationship apart.

"So," Astrid began. "Anniversary. What are we going to do?"

"Astrid, I... I don't know if we can do anything," Hiccup sighed, pulling away. "I have people to look after, questions to answer. I need to have a meeting and explain to everyone what happened, I need to find housing for the inured, I need to go talk with Alvin and see why he did this, I need to do so many things, Astrid. I just... I want to stop. I can't do this chief thing anymore. I was just thrown into it, I can't. I'm far too young for this, Astrid. I... it's physically taking a toll on me. In just the past two years, I've been getting sick more often. Like right now. I feel like death. I'm dizzy and nauseous and weak and I'm shaking. It's too much to deal with. My dad... He knew what he was doing. He... He had time to know. When he was my age, Hell he wasn't even married! I'm twenty-two and chief of a village. I might be the chief my dad was, but I don't think I can keep it up much longer. Sometimes, I think Snotlout would make a better chief. He can handle it. I want to spend time with you, Astrid. I want to love you and live like a normal family. My mom's right. We should have a child by now. But we can't if I'm busy like this. I hate it, I really do. It's too much pressure and I... I feel like dying sometimes just so it can all be over." After his speech, he took a step back, almost falling but catching his balance. Astrid noticed this, grabbed his arm and led him down the stairs, Toothless following.

"You're really sick. I'm taking you home right now. Maybe it's blood loss or stress or something, but you're talking crazy. I know you, Hiccup. You're able to balance chiefing and living. You could before, why are you backing out now? You just need more rest and help. I'll help you, I'll be there for you when you need me. Just ask. There's no getting rid of me. We're together until death do us part." He smirked at his wife's advice. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have made it as far as he did as chief. Truth be told, he was stressed from the start. He just faked it better back then. Now, it was all bottling up inside him and starting to seep out. It wasn't long before he would just explode and give up. But if Astrid stayed by his side and patched the wounds, he might just be able to keep on going.

The more they ascended down the stairs, the weaker Hiccup got. His muscles started to feel heavier and it got harder to move. Astrid had to work more to hold him up, but Hiccup just kept sinking. She just assumed it was the stairs throwing him off and he'd regulate himself when they hit the bottom. However, when they did, the opposite happened. Hiccup's muscles froze completely and he couldn't move. His ears began to pop and a cloud of white shrouded his eyes. His hearing started going along with his vision. The last thing he saw was a dragon rushing to save him and the last thing he heard was his wife calling his name.

"Hiccup!" And with a thud, he hit the ground.

**Well, that was something, haha. Thanks for reading my exposition blasts and ramblings. It'll get better as it goes on, but this was more of an "introduce you to the plot, conflicts, and a few characters" chapter. It'll get better and less expositiony as it goes on. Also, I will try to update consistently since updating isn't my forte. I think every Sunday I'll post a new chapter. I'll try to at least. Well, enjoy this story! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey people! Enjoy the next installment! :) (** I'm changing the formatting for chapter 1, so that's means I'll be taking it off and putting it back on, so if you got get notifications saying I posted chapter one, that's why. I didn't change any words or content, just formatting.**)  
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Chapter 2:

"Hiccup!" Astrid said, rushing over to her ailing husband. After passing out and hitting his head at The Great Hall, Astrid brought him back to their home and anxiously waited for him to awake. After only a few minutes of lying in his bed, his eyes began to slowly flutter open.

"As... Astrid." He managed to choke out. He was pretty dazed but fully aware of his surroundings. The more he blinked the stronger he got and soon it just felt as if he had woken up from a much-needed nap.

"Shh... take it easy, Hiccup. I was really worried about you."

"I'm okay, everything was just so overwhelming. I couldn't take it. It's been such a long day and it's hardly started yet." Astrid inched closer to his head and kissed it. She was really worried for the health and wellbeing of Hiccup. He worried for her constantly, especially when she was sick recently. Now, it was her turn to worry for him. Her natural motherly instincts took over and she jumped into caring mode. Even if he assured her he was okay, she still worried. He hardly ever got sick, but when he did, it was never pretty.

"I'm going to call for Halvard The Healer." She announced abruptly.

"No," Hiccup stated, taking her hand with a sudden bust of energy. "Don't. The minute you do that, the town is going to find out. They're like lions and gossip is their meat. Any little thing that happens, especially with us, they need to know. And they twist to truth too. Their opinions turn into facts and they eat it up. Behind this door, everything is safe. But once you open it, the whole world welcomes itself in. I'll be okay, Astrid. Really, I will. Trust me." Even though Astrid strongly disagreed, she silently nodded in agreement. She cared about Hiccup and wanted him to be okay, but she also respected his wishes and did as he said. He was her husband, but he was the chief as well. She obeyed his orders and hardly ever put up a fight. She used to be very outspoken and stubborn, but ever since she got married, she's become a little more conservative and respectful of other people's wishes. She'd only break with her newfound personality in extreme cases.

"You had a pretty bad fall back there," she said, breaking the awkward silence. "Toothless tried to catch you but wasn't fast enough," At the mention of his name, Toothless announced his presence and laid his head on his masters chest. Instinctively, Hiccup started to scratch him. "You... you were talking crazy back there too. I'd never imagine you saying stuff like that! Maybe you'd feel it, but never say it. Did you really mean what you said about not wanting to be chief? I'll help you, Hiccup. You need it. We're married now. Your burdens are mine too."

"Maybe I do need help. This is just getting to be too much. I meant every word I said back there. This is stressful. You know, sometimes I hate admitting it, but I wish things were back to the way there were seven years ago. You know, back when it was...," Hiccup proceeded to cover Toothless ears. "Dragon killing, not training. Maybe I was a runt and a weakling, but things were easier. Our only real problem was the dragons and we had them under control. Now that we've adapted to live with them, other nations, like The Outcasts, hate us and are against us. It wasn't like that seven years ago. The Outcasts didn't even bother us then. Life and being chief was easier back then and it'd be easier now. No nations on my case, no death threats because of dragons, no Vikings against dragon training petitions, nothing like that. Hell, if I had just killed him in the forest that day, I would have never lost my leg, Drago never would have killed all those other chiefs, and... My dad would still be alive..." Hiccup trailed off after that statement. Recently, his father had passed away while trying to save him. Hiccup always beat himself up for that and never got over it. He never got to say goodbye or to him to tell him how much he truly loved him.

"Hiccup," Astrid said in stunned disbelief. "I can't believe you'd say something like that right in front of Toothless! He is your best friend! And dragons have done more for us than any human could! You were the one that ushered in this new era and now you want to go back? You're insane! Yes, all of the above would be true if we'd just kept killing them. But if life weren't how it was now, we wouldn't be married. I'd still hate you. I would have got to kill the Monstrous Nightmare that day, not you. Eret wouldn't be here- you would have never found your mother! Stoick would still call you a disappointment and probably would have disowned you. But most importantly, you would never have had Toothless. And Hiccup without Toothless is like the world without life. It's still there but just not complete. So much good came out of what you did. You're insane to wish that it never happened."

"I... I didn't mean it like that, I'm not good with words. I'm saying it would have been easier and I'd be less stressed."

"You don't know that. It could have been much worse."

"I'm sorry, my heads all mixed up. I just, I say things I don't mean."

"You must have really hit your head harder than I thought. This isn't like you, Hiccup."

"You're right about what you said before. I think these things but I don't say them. I've been thinking it all along, I just faked it better back then. I guess insanity runs in the family, because my dad must have been insane if he let me be chief."

"Hiccup! You are a wonderful chief! People love you and look up to you! You do a damn fine job of taking care of Berk."

"That's the thing, Astrid. That's all I do! Because I have to. If I didn't, people like The Outcasts would have taken us over already. I... I want to be here, taking care of you. I want to start family with you and have a life with you. I want to be there for our children, but if I continue on this path, I don't think I will be. I guess I really do take after my mother." Hiccup signed and closed his eyes. The burden of being chief was a great one. It was incredibly stressful. How did his dad ever pull it off? He left Hiccup with so many unsolved problems that needed to be solved. Hiccup had no idea being chief would be this hard.

"You just need rest, honey. It's been a rough few hours for everyone. Here, I'll fetch you some water. Be back in a flash. Oh, and by the way, you should apologize to Toothless for what you said." She hastily left Hiccup's bedside and went to retrieve some water. Hiccup was left with a mixed up head and his best friend staring at him with a look of "you didn't really mean what you said about me, did you?" on his face.

"I'm sorry bud. You're my best friend! I'd never wish that you weren't here with me! I love you." With that reassurance, Toothless licked Hiccups face again and laughed as he tried to wipe it off. "Although I could live without the saliva." He joked, hugging his friend's head. Toothless has been Hiccup's best and first friend for seven years now. Countless times, he's saved his life and saved him from injury. The bond that these two had was incredible. They would always be there for each other no matter what and Hiccup hated himself for even considering wishing he had just killed him that day. He didn't mean it that way, but unfortunately, that's how it came out. So now, Hiccup made sure to really reassure his friend that he didn't mean it and that he loved him. Toothless, being an innocent creature easily forgave him and knew he didn't mean it. Just like Hiccup forgave him when he didn't really mean to kill his father.

Shortly after she had left, Astrid came back with a cup of water for Hiccup. Seeing the return of his wife and the water, Hiccup tried to sit up but struggled. Astrid noticed this and came to his aid, grabbing his arm and helping him sit up.

"Thanks, Astrid." He said, grabbing the water and coughing a little.

"No problem. Drink up now, you need it." Hiccup raised the glass to his lips and drank. The cold water felt good and refreshing on his parched throat. He drank the whole glass in under a minute, instantly feeling more refreshed than ever. A nice cold glass of water was what he really needed. Or was it? Suddenly, his throat felt moist and something sticky was caught in it. He cleared his throat to try to get it out but that made it worse. He gave it more oomph and coughed. One small cough let to another and another, each one gradually getting bigger and bigger until he was uncontrollably choking on something.

"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled, patting his back the way a mother would. He continued to cough and cough, leaching forward with each one. Whatever it was that was caught in his throat didn't want to come out. "Toothless, go run and get Valka for me. Hurry!" The dragon obeyed and stumbled out of the house, not sure what was going on but sensing the emergency. Hiccup continued to cough and choke until it started sounded watery, like he was coughing up something. He raised his hands to his mouth and continued to chough-choke, all the while having Astrid shush and comfort him. Then, suddenly, as quickly as it began, it all stopped. He no longer coughed, but gasped and caught his breath. Slowly, he lowered his hands from his month and instinctively looked at him. To his horror, his hands were dripping with the unmistakable, sticky red liquid that is blood. Another drop fell from his lips and he reached up to catch it. When he did, he found that his mouth was laden with more. Subconsciously, his lips smacked and he could taste the iron. His head started spinning again and his body started shaking. He didn't pass out but he zoned out, this time having no idea what he going on. All he could do was stare at his blood-soaked hands pure disbelief.

"What's wrong with me?" He choked out, legitimately scared for his life.

"Dear Gods."

It didn't take long for Valka to come home, but when she did, she was sent back out again to fetch Halvard. He arrived almost instantly when he heard what was wrong with the boy. Upon his arrival, he told the ladies and dragon to wait outside his room while he tried to figure out what was wrong with Hiccup. He spent a good amount of time in there before coming out to tell the ladies what was wrong with him. It seemed like an eternity before they heard his heavy footsteps on the old wooden floor.

"Well, Mrs. Haddock, and... Valka," He began. "There is something very wrong with him, but I don't know what. When I arrived, he was shaking and in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding a mile a minute and he was terrified. He even admitted that something wasn't right. He was completely conscious but he zoned out from time to time. He's stable right now. In fact, if you just walked in, you'd probably think nothing was wrong. But um..."

"You don't know what's wrong? Is he going to be okay, is it treatable?" Astrid wondered. Valka, who had been silently sitting in a chair the whole time, nodded in agreement.

"Well, to answer your questions in a word, No, no, and no. Now, before you say anything let me explain..." Halvard The Healer was Berk's resident doctor. Anytime anyone was sick or injured, they would go to him. He was good at his job and loved healing people. But, however, he had many patients in his care not survive, and delivering the news to their families was always a striking blow. He was a tough, burly man. He wasn't all that skinny but he wasn't like the other hulking Viking's of Berk. He was muscular and strong, but having to tell a family someone wasn't going to be okay always broke him and reduced him to the equivalent of a small child.

"I've only seen a case like this one other time. It was many years ago when I was still in training. The man training me was a healer on Outcast Island...when it comes to healing and saving lives... enemies don't exist. Anyway, a man came to us with an array of weird symptoms. Passing out, coughing blood, shaking, zoning out. We tried to figure out what was wrong with him for days. We went through all the books and all the records but we discovered nothing. Each day, this man got progressively worse. We tried every known remedy we could, but after four days... he... died," Halvard took in a deep breath and kneeled down the Astrid, who had sat down, and Valka's height. "Hiccup's case is almost exactly the same. I still have no idea what's wrong and there no known medicine to treat it. I'm sorry... Astrid, Valka, Toothless. It's best that we... let nature take it's course. Try to make him as comfortable as possible in these next few days and..."

"He's dying?" Astrid asked, stunned and in a state of utter disbelief.

"Yes, Mrs, Haddock. Your husband is dying."

**Thanks for reading! And just a heads up, I may not be able to post a new chapter next Sunday because I'm going to be gone all day. I'm seeing two shows, preforming in one, and most likely going out to a late dinner with my cast after. We have intense rehearsal all this week and shows this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I'll try to write during the week and maybe post the chapter on Monday or Saturday if I have the time too. Sorry about that! But thanks for all the reviews/favs/follows so far! You guys rock!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Sorry for being wicked late but I really caught up with the shows and summer schoolwork that I've been procrastinating on. I figured I'd wait until this Sunday so my whole posting schedule wouldn't be messed up. Sorry about this little blip! It shouldn't happen again I believe. Anyway, enjoy! :D**

Chapter 3:

Ruffnut sat in the empty arena silently braiding her hair. She was alone except for the company of her dragon, Barf&Belch. Barf was her half and Belch was her twin brother, Tuffnut's, half. Ruff hardly ever got to spend quality time with just Barf, but when she did, it was time well spent. At first glance, Ruff would look like just any regular tomboy, which she was. But if you really got to know her, you'd know that she was sensitive and caring on the inside. When she was passionate about something, she didn't let anyone stop her. One time, she cut off most of her hair just to save a Scauldron that she'd befriended.

Ruffnut wasn't a girly girl but she did have her moments of feminism. She braided her hair, cared about her outfits, wanted only the best quality war makeup. She just didn't want anyone to know of her soft side, so she usually did these things in private. She knew she'd face eternal humiliation if she were ever caught doing anything slightly girly.

It was late in the morning and Astrid had called for a meeting of all the dragon riders. She didn't mention what it would be about, but it sounded urgent. They were to meet in the arena at precisely noon. Ruffnut, having nothing really better to do, decided to get there early so she could braid her hair and spend time with Barf. She had been there alone for over an hour. She really enjoyed the silence, though. She needed a break from being cased after by Fishlegs and Snotlout. She viewed them more as brothers, so having them romantically pursue her disgusted her.

One man didn't disgust Ruffnut though. It was Eret, Son of Eret. When they first met two years ago, Ruffnut had a huge crush on him. Now, her crush has died down, but she still enjoyed his company and started to view him as a brother as well. A very attractive brother that is.

Ruffnut's mind wondered to thinking about Eret, and almost as if on queue, he showed up.

"Ruff! What are you doing here? Astrid's meeting doesn't start until another half hour or so." She quickly hid the fact that she was braiding her hair by running her fingers though it. That was something most girls with long hair always subconsciously did.

"Eret! I'm surprised to see you, and Skullcrusher, here! I was just... Collecting my thoughts. Being a twin is hard and sometimes you just need some alone time."

"Ah, I see. Well, Skullcrusher and I were going to do a little bit of training before Astrid's meeting starts. Gods, I wonder what that spunky blonde has planed this time. Probably some sort of Outcast attack. I wonder why Hiccup didn't call for the meeting?"

"Oh, Eret," Ruffnut stood up and started the walk around the open space. "You don't know, do you? This has nothing to do with The Outcasts. It's Hiccup and Astrid's first wedding anniversary today. I just know she's gonna wanna put together something for him."

"Really? They've been married a year already? Seems like just yesterday they were voluntarily kidnapping themselves on my ship. I always knew those two would end up together." Both Eret and Ruff laughed at this. Two years ago, the dragon riders and Eret weren't really on good terms. But once Eret's mind was changed, he joined the riders and became friends with them. He even got to take care of his own dragon, Skullcrusher. He was once Stoick's dragon, but since he passed away, he needed a new caretaker. Eret and Skullcrusher had a special bond so it only seemed fit for him to be his new master. In two years, the two have grown inseparable. Eret would forever and always be glad he made the switch from trapper to rider. He never knew dragons could be so amazing until Hiccup opened his eyes.

"Yea. But that was two years ago. A lot can change in two years. Like feelings." Ruffnut joked, referring to her last crush on Eret.

"Ha-ha, yes those too. You had a raging crush on me back then! Not so much now, huh?"

"Nah. I was stupid back then. But now I know what I want in life and that's not to fall in love or be married, ever. It's so gross. I thought it was the best thing ever but really it's just annoying and not worth my time."

"I understand. There's so much to do in life! Why waste it being tied down? I respect Hiccup and Astrid's choice but that's one I'll never make. There's too much to do and see! I can't be worrying about a wife or kids, I've got my own life to live!"

"I'm glad you feel the same way as me! I thought I was the only one!"

"You're not alone, Ruff. Marriage isn't for everyone I guess. It's for people like Hiccup and Astrid who want to devote their lives to someone else's. It's not for people like us! We're free spirits who need to roam," At the climax of his speech, he mounted Skullcrusher and stood upright on his saddle. He pretended like he was giving a speech and used Skullcrusher as his pedestal. "We need to get out there and see the world because the world is never going to come see us! We must live like it's our last day on this Earth! We must make the best of today because we don't knew if we're going to have tomorrow. We have to be on the go all the time, chasing dreams and making new ones. We have to live like we're dying! Live like we're dying! We have to..." His impromptu speech was interrupted by the arrival of the others riders, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, and Snotlout. They all looked at Eret like he had three heads as he sheepishly climbed down. Ruffnut's face turned a light red as she stifled a laugh.

"What the Hell were you doing, Eret?" Asked Tuffnut, confused.

"Just little tomfoolery. Sorry. Is the meeting starting now? If I'm not mistaken it was supposed to be in about..."

"Circumstances changed it," Astrid replied from behind the crowd. Everyone had been so concerned with Eret's heroic display that they didn't notice the figure in the back. Astrid slowly walked toward the crowd as they separated themselves so she could pass through. "Like you so gracefully put, there isn't a ton of time in the world so we have to get things done now." Astrid looked like the human personification of death. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, obviously due to tears. Her clothes were still torn from the morning's battle and she had bloodstains on them. Her photogenic blonde hair was messy and wild. Her normally perfect, battle-ready posture was anything but. She slumped over and dragged her feet, not even bothering to pick them up half the time. She was the polar opposite of the Astrid she was that morning. The riders took note of that and reflected her mood. They could obviously tell something was wrong and they were mature enough to know not to make jokes or fool around.

"I'm, sorry. I should have..." Eret started to say.

"It's okay. I don't care. Now, I bet you're all wondering why I called his meeting today. No, it's not about The Outcasts, or the anniversary, or the battle, or anything. It's about Hiccup. I... I thought since you were all his friends, you'd like to know before I tell the town. He... He's sick. Really sick. Halvard doesn't know what he has but he has something. However, Halvard does know that he has only a few more days left." A long silence filled the arena as everyone's heart broke into a million pieces. Astrid instinctively let tears fall from her eyes again and she didn't try to stop them.

"So, he's... Dying?" Tuffnut asked, breaking the silence. He used to joke about people dying all the time and how "cool" it would be, but he never thought it would actually happen. He was in an utter state of shock.

"Yes." Astrid practically whispered. The reality of the situation sunk in again for the second time today and she cried. She raised her hand to her month and let out sobs. She was normally a strong woman who would only cry in private. Even then, she'd try her hardest not to. But now, her whole entire life and world was crashing down around her. She didn't care if anyone saw her cry. She just couldn't help herself.

Everyone stood there absolutely bewildered. It couldn't possibly be true! But Astrid was sobbing so it had to be. Fishlegs, as caring as he was, ran right over to Astrid when she collapsed on the ground. He tried his hardest to comfort her but it his efforts were obviously in vain.

Snotlout let a few tears sneak out of his eyes. His cousin, his blood relative, was dying. His uncle had already died and now his cousin? The world was cruel. Sure, this means that he would become chief now, but he didn't want it. Not like this.

The twins stood there in disbelief. Ruffnut, who just mere seconds ago was enjoying herself, was crushed. Hiccup was her friend and so was Astrid. Seeing them in a state like this broke her heart. Tuffnut felt the same. He was deviated. He'd joked so many times but never actually meant it. Now that it's come true, he just felt awful inside.

Eret felt just plain awful as well. Astrid had heard every word he said in his rousing anthem and he felt terrible for saying it. He didn't know and if he could take it back he would. Tears welled up in his eyes as well as he thought about how Berk was losing another chief. Eret didn't know Stoick very well, but he did respect him and even attended his funeral. The very thought of attending Hiccup's funeral, and Hiccup was a man he knew well, made his stomach drop all over again. This just couldn't be happening. But unfortunately, it was.

Every single person in the room felt like they were in a terrible nightmare. Hiccup dying seemed way to farfetched to be true. They tried to pinch themselves but they weren't dreaming. Their friend, mentor, and chief was going to die. He was far too young and didn't deserve this. It all just happened so fast that no one knew how to really react accordingly. They were all so shocked.

"Valka knows. She and Toothless are with him now. I'm making the official announcement a little later on today," Astrid said, wiping her tears and getting up off the ground. "We... Don't know what he has. It's nothing I've ever seen before. One minute, he's okay, but the next, he's screaming in pain. The episodes just come and go, and apparently only get worse and worse according to Halvard. He's seen this case only one other time before and it was when he was in training. He's giving Hiccup just a few more days left to live. I'm sorry to bring down everyone's day, but I thought you'd like to know." With that, Astrid turned her back to the group of riders and trudged out of the arena.

"I can't believe it." Fishlegs said.

"I can't either. I don't believe it! He can't be dying! Not another chief!" Snotlout exclaimed.

"And there's nothing we can do." Added Tuffnut.

"I can't imagine what that poor girl is going though right now. How can she even bear it?" Ruffnut wondered. After some more deliberation, most of the riders decided to go on their separate ways. They went back to their homes to silently grieve and let the fact sink in. However, Eret and Ruffnut lingered behind.

"This is just plain awful. There must be something we can do! Not only is he chief, he's our friend! He can't just leave behind a wife, a mother, and a dragon like that!" Eret thought aloud.

"What can we do? Halvard said there was nothing so..."

"Wait, he didn't mention the spar did he?"

"The what?"

"Iceland Spar! The gemstone that... oh.. Oh! Never mind, it's nothing. I gotta go. Bye!"

"Wait, come back! Eret!" Eret proceeded to mount Skullcrusher and hightailed it out of the arena before Ruffnut caught up to him. She was left alone once again, but this time, she was left wondering what Iceland Spar was and why the Hell Eret was being so secretive about it. Ruffnut vowed that before the day was done, she would find both of the things out. She needed to know not out of curiosity but out necessity. If this was something that would save her friend's life she needed to know.

**Again, I'm super sorry for the delay! I just got really caught up with things and desperately needed to rest. Everything should be back to normal next Sunday though! You guys are the best! :D**


	4. Hiatus (read for info)

Hey guys! Sorry for my unexpected/unannounced hiatus. After I last posted nearly a month ago, I've just been getting projects piled on me between school, musical rehearsals, college stuff (I'm a senior in HS), SAT/ACT's, voice lessons, auditions, and more. I've hardly ever had free time since I last posted. I've also been extremely tired lately and I'm trying to catch up on the sleep that I need. The ideas have just not been coming for this story and I'm so sorry that I've been keeping everyone waiting. I don't know when I'll have the next chapter out, but I can assure you I'm trying to work on it as much as I can. I'll try to get back on a regular schedule soon! Again, I'm sooooooo sorry but I haven't abandoned this story, don't worry! I'm still writing! I want to make sure you guys get to read the best I can write, not just some halfhearted crap I threw together. You all rock! 3


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